1995 Nissan 200SX 2.0 turbo petrol from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Faults:

The gear box throwout bearing needed to be replaced and was covered under dealer warranty.

The gearbox synchro-mesh rings needed to be replaced.

The bolts holding the exhaust manifold to the turbo blow apart and needed fixing, but only after running extremely high boost with standard inter-cooler and standard exhaust.

No other faults. These faults occurred under extreme driving conditions. This car was absolutely hammered.

General Comments:

This car is simply bulletproof. It has been absolutely thrashed, yet is still running smoothly. It has the combination of a bulletproof gearbox, a strong grippy clutch, as well as a Limited slip differential that actually works, giving it an awesome drive train.

This is the key to the 200sx. It has an engine output of 147kw, which is not an absolutey huge amount, yet the 200sx is one of the quickest standard street cars available. This is due to the fact that Nissan was able to engineer a drive-line that transfered the power from the engine to the rear wheels as efficiently and affectively as possible.

Handling is good, but can easily be improved with a set of lowered springs. My car is absolutely standard and I have been tempted to modify it, but have not been overcome by the need, as it beats most other cars on the road convincingly in most departments.

Braking is absolutely great. The large brakes on the Nissan pull the car well and truly sufficiently even at high speeds. It has better braking statistics than some Porsche 911s.

Power from the 2.0 turbo is great, but can easily be added upon with some relatively cheap modifications. This will not have an impact on the engine life either, as the 200sx' alloy block can take a lot of punishment.

Comfort is fair. I am 6ft1' 87kg and I don't find it that uncomfortable that I would have to sell it. The seats hold you I position extremely well when driving hard, hence are not all that comfortable when driving for long periods.

Looks are bland in standard form. I have added a body-kit and mags to it, and it is now a definite head turner.

The 200sx is a pure sports car, not made for comfort or anything else. That is what I bought it for, yet it gives me great pleasure as a daily driver. Performance is great even though I have no modifications at all. Put it this way. No standard v8 will beat it. Even worked V8s will have problems. It craps all over Commodores and Falcons. For the money you would have to pay for a 200sx it offers you performance, reliability and style unparalleled by many.

22nd Dec 2004, 15:45

7th Jun 2006, 04:42

For the comment above, GTS will never run low 14s stock, more like 16s from their non turbo rb20, however GTS-Ts will run 14s. S14 200sx with SR20DETs will run low 14s stock. The SR20 block is bullet proof for modifications up to around 220kw at the wheels. This figure is another 100kw more than factory! (SR20DET are around 120-130kw at wheels from factory) Any more you will need to change the bottom end. They are great sport cars and is a completely different car from their big brother skylines in both handling and power.